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How exactly do you "close" a State park? Maybe I'm just missing something here...

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Chehalis Auto Dealership Calling It Quits

Titus-Will Buys Gootee

'White Knight': New Owner Operates Car Lots From Tacoma and Olympia to Chehalis

Posted Wed, Mar 11, 2009 - 11:05 am

By Sharyn L. Decker


Billie Remund likened the buyer of her Chehalis auto dealership to the white knight who rode in at the last minute.

The 81-year-old Remund announced this morning that she and Titus-Will Enterprises Inc. signed a deal to sell her failing business.

Gootee Chevrolet-Pontiac-Buick will change hands at the end of the month, Remund said.

She declined to reveal the price.

Gootee, one of only four new car dealers in Lewis County, last week told its employees they were shutting down, but within days, Remund put the closure on hold.

Titus-Will operates new car dealerships in Tacoma and Olympia, as well as used car lots in Lacey, Olympia and a relatively new one in Chehalis right behind Gootee.

Remund called Titus-Will a very strong, solid organization.

A representative of Titus-Will was unavailable this morning for comment.

It's been an especially rocky ride for Gootee, a General Motors dealership across from the fairgrounds on North National Avenue.

Gootee sells new and used automobiles and operates a service department as well as an auto detailing shop. It employs about 30 people.

Like other car sellers around the country, the business has weathered the high fuel prices, an economic downturn and dropping consumer confidence. But, Remund said this morning, she had a deal to sell to her sales manager pending for the past five months, and it fell through at the last minute.

That's when she decided to close the doors after more than 60 years in the automobile business.

Then talks began with Titus-Will.

They've got to get the deal approved with GM, but that shouldn't be a problem, Remund said.

"It looks like this will be Gootee's swan song, the end of the month," she said.

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All I know is Diesel just dropped to $1.81 at the Petro just west of Spokane.  If the price of diesel maintains it's current level for a good period of time, we should see a drop in price of just about all consumer goods (unless the businesses just pocket the savings).  First time in six years I've seen diesel below super unleaded, let alone regular unleaded  (regular is running $2.03).

I'm glad I decided not to participate in this recession.

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While I'm personally happy to see relatively cheap diesel again, I see it as more of a sign of a continuing downward spiral than of good things to come, at least in the near term.

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I agree that in the short term, it's not a great indicator.  However, it is a great indicator that things are starting to reset.  Since diesel fuel effects the price of literally EVERYTHING,  the price drop was/is an essential component of economic recovery.

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for fucks sake

unfuckingbelievable

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unfuckingbelievable

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you know, I'm getting tired of your posts in this thread.


Can you just stay away for awhile while I bury my head in the sand?

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Yep. It's me, or surprise buttsecks.


 

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Chehalis Yard Birds Cinema closed its' doors last Friday

Friday, March 27, 2009  |  Modified: Saturday, March 28, 2009, 5:00am CDT
Hot ticket: Movie theaters enjoying uptick in attendance

The economy is mired in a recession, but Milwaukee’s largest movie theater chain and several area independent theaters lately are showing strong results.

Hard times for the American economy — and a slate of popular flicks — have caused more people to attend movies as a relatively cheap form of entertainment, theater executives said.

“We are experiencing a real resurgence in attendance that started in October,” said Bruce Olson, president of Marcus Theatres in Milwaukee. “It’s been a remarkable run.”

Not many other businesses can boast revenue gains in today’s economic climate, but Marcus Theatres posted a 10.1 percent increase in box-office revenue and an 8 percent increase in concession revenue for comparable theaters during the quarter ended Feb. 26. Marcus dominates the southeast Wisconsin market and is the nation’s seventh-largest theater chain.

Independent theater operators in the Milwaukee area also report higher revenue. They say consumers who can’t afford vacations, new cars or new homes seem to be spending some of that money on movie tickets, popcorn and beverages.

Attending movies is even less expensive than some other forms of entertainment, such as performing arts, pop music concerts and pro sports events, said theater owners.

“The fact (business) is better in the face of the economic news right now is incredible,” said Larry Widen, who owns the Times Cinema in Milwaukee and the Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse in Wauwatosa.

Southeast Wisconsin is following an upward national trend for movie attendance. Movie-Tickets.com, which sells advance tickets online for theater operators including Marcus, is experiencing record year-to-date ticket sales.

“We believe it is a mix between the general affordability of a night out at the movies and the need for people to escape for a few hours and get lost in a film, whether it’s a comedy like ‘I Love You, Man’ or a sci-fi thriller like ‘Knowing,’” said Joel Cohen, executive vice president of MovieTickets.com.

The highest-grossing movie nationally this year has been “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.” Marcus listed that among its top-performing films along with “Marley & Me,” “Gran Torino,” Academy award-winner “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”

Artsy movies that received Oscar nominations boosted independent theaters like Widen’s two, single-screen locations and Landmark Theatres’ Downer and Oriental theaters on Milwaukee’s east side. Those movies included “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Milk” and “The Reader.”

Landmark Theatres saw ticket revenue increase 25 percent nationally and 35 percent in Milwaukee during January and February, said Ted Mundorff, chief executive officer of the Los Angeles-based chain. He said “Slumdog” and “Milk” were the biggest draws in Milwaukee.

Olson attributes the strong ticket sales in part to movie studios’ change of strategy in recent years to opening blockbuster movies throughout the year and not just during the holidays or summer. For example, theater operators expect turnstiles to spin for the March 27 opening of DreamWorks Animation’s first 3-D release, “Monsters vs. Aliens.”

The revenue comparisons for the first quarter of this year to the same period of 2008 also benefit from what some theater owners said was a weak lineup a year ago.

Marcus Theatres carried 12 films during its most recent quarter that each produced more than $1 million in box office receipts, compared with only six films last year that reached that mark, Marcus Corp. chief executive officer Greg Marcus recently told analysts.
Escaping reality

Marcus executives and others in the industry have advanced the theory that they do relatively well during recessions and economic downturns.

Olson said that in six of the last eight recessions going back to the mid-1960s, the movie industry has logged increased box office receipts. During hard times, more people want to “escape reality a little bit,” Olson said.

Widen agrees to a point, but said that the recent good business would be even better if Americans weren’t suffering the effects of the recession.

Brian Henry, owner of the Fox Bay Cinema Grill in Whitefish Bay, said the industry is not recession-proof, but “recession-resilient.”

Concession revenue has followed a positive track along with ticket sales.

Widen said he thought people might cut back at the concession stand, but they aren’t buying smaller servings of popcorn or soda.

“People aren’t scrimping on concessions,” he said.

After the strong start for 2009, the outlook remains bright for the balance of the year, based on a strong lineup of new movies and a wider launch of 3-D screens.

Marcus Theatres is adding 13 digital 3-D screens at locations across the Midwest in time for “Monsters vs. Aliens.” Marcus will now offer 3-D at 27 theaters, or more than half of its first-run locations.

Two area independent theaters also will debut 3-D screens this weekend for the opening of “Monsters.”

The Fox Bay Cinema Grill received bank financing for its $80,000-plus installation, Henry said. Showtime Cinema in Franklin spent an unspecified amount on its new 3-D equipment, said owner Nancy Bercham.

Movies rolling out this spring and summer on standard screens include “Public Enemies,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “Star Trek,” “Angels & Demons,” “Terminator Salvation” and “Night at the Museum 2.”

“It’s going to be extremely good,” Olson said.
THRIVING ON RECESSION

In three of the last four recessions before the current one, movie theaters nationwide recorded increases in box office receipts and admissions. The only exception was the early 1990s’ recession. (Numbers in millions.)

Year Box office Admissions
2001 $8,125 1,438
2000 $7,468 1,383
1991 $4,803 1,140
1990 $5,022 1,190
1982 $3,453 1,175
1981 $2,966 1,067
1974 $1,909 1,010
1973 $1,524 864

Source: Marcus Corp. and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/03/30/story2.html?b=1238385600^1801688&t=printable

Green Hill is currently undergoing a $13 million construction project

Since 1997, $67 million has been spent to construct...

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for fucks sake

unfuckingbelievable

"Centralia aims to use the nearly $391,000 it would receive to purchase foreclosed properties within the city limits, remodel them and rent them to low to moderate––income individuals. The ultimate goal would be to assist low income individuals in purchasing the properties".

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Ya, let's shut it down.

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Just for you Busy.... and arfcom

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According to the state, there are only 6.7 million people here.

According to wikithere was 6.5 million people in the state last year.

ETA. 5.7mln/6.68mln = 83%

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John Rich  

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and just hired another girl....

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But yeah, this thread.... it ain't for the weak or for the weekend

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If I added 2 employees, I'd be back to..... January. Our slowest month.

"Booming" is subjective I guess.